Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

3 Opposition Leaders in 3 years for HoA

-Legislature to meet on December 28, 2018 in countdown to dissolving HoA
(From left to right) Former Opposition Leader, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and current Opposition Leader and Chairman of the PVIM Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL). Photo: Facebook
The Third House of Assembly (HoA) of the Virgin Islands (VI) was a historic one. It was the first time in local political history that there were three different Opposition Leaders in the life of one Assembly. Photo: VINO/File
The Third House of Assembly (HoA) of the Virgin Islands (VI) was a historic one. It was the first time in local political history that there were three different Opposition Leaders in the life of one Assembly. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The Third House of Assembly (HoA) of the Virgin Islands (VI) was a historic one. It was the first time in local political history that there were three different Opposition Leaders in the life of one Assembly.

Following the General Elections of 2015 that saw the Virgin Islands Party (VIP)—headed at the time by Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3)—only winning 2 seats out of 13, after the Election, there was a fight over the post of Opposition Leader, between Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and Mr Fraser.

The Governor appointed Hon Fraser on July 21, 2015, a month after the General Elections. The next year the VIP had an internal Congress Election and replaced Hon Fraser with Hon Fahie as the Party Chairman.

Fahie took over from Fraser

The VIP then wrote the Governor with the changes and requested that Hon Fahie be named the Opposition Leader.  The Governor agreed and appointed Hon Fahie on February 6, 2017.

Then in November 2018, three members of the National Democratic Party (NDP)—two ministers being fired and the other member resigning from the party—crossed the floor.

They now had a majority with their breakaway group called the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), headed by Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) and they made a request for Hon Skelton to be Leader of the Opposition.

Hon Skelton took over from Fahie 

On December 22, 2018, Hon Skelton was appointed the most recent Opposition Leader making him the third such Leader of the Opposition within 3 years.

The HoA will resume a Sitting on Friday, December 28, 2018, and it will be the first time Mr Skelton will be at the helm, as its new Opposition Leader.

The countdown is on for the body to be dissolved, paving the way for a new General Elections that must be held before April 16, 2019.

8 Responses to “3 Opposition Leaders in 3 years for HoA”



Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.